(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercise equipment specifically to exercise equipment involving dumbells. It will permit an exerciser to support, receive and position into a convenient liftable position a complete dumbell commonly used.
(2) Discussion of the Prior Art
Prior structures of this type, have been for supporting, receiving and positioning barbells or plates of a barbell. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,678 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,838.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,838 the exercise device is disclosed as having a pair of cradles for receiving the plates of a barbell.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,678 the saddle is disclosed to receive a bar of a barbell.
The present invention discloses a dumbell position rack that will support, receive and also position a complete dumbell into a convenient liftable position to begin an exercise.
While performing certain exercises, The Prior Art of heavy dumbell exercising has usually been done with the aid of two training partners lifting the dumbells and each handing them to the exerciser to a convenient position where the exerciser could begin the exercise, or the exerciser struggled to get the heavy dumbells up to a convenient position to begin the exercise at the same time wasting energy jockeying the weight up. In many cases, the exerciser is limited to use only the amount of weight he can curl with his bicep since this is the muscle that is normally used to get the dumbell off the floor and into a convenient liftable position to begin the exercise. The restriction of only being able to use that you can curl up to a position to begin the exercise is a serious problem with many exercisers because the bicep is generally much weaker than the pectoral, deltoid and or tricep muscles commonly used in many exercises. The use of the lighter dumbells would impede the work as well as the growth of these larger and stronger muscles or muscle groups.
In many cases such as flat bench flyes, dumbell benches and incline flyes when the exerciser is training alone he must sit on the exercise bench then curl the dumbells up to his chest area then dangerously recline to the bench while at the same time continuing to hold these heavy dumbells thus causing instability to the exerciser while posing a danger of injury.
Another drawback of the Prior Art of picking the dumbells off the floor when training alone is the tendency of the exerciser to drop the dumbells at the completion of the exercise rather than risking the possibility of injury to the shoulder joints and muscles while trying to hold on to the dumbells while lowering them to the floor especially in a reclined position and after the muscles have just been exhausted exercising.
Dumbell work is used extensively by bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes alike because of the many advantages it has over the barbell. The dumbell provides an opportunity for the user to exercise a muscle or group of muscles that couldn't be reached with the use of a barbell.
The barbell restricts the user in the training of certain parts of muscles or groups of muscles in that the bar of the barbell usually makes contact with a part of the body before it can go into a low range of movement i.e. the bench press one of the most popular and important exercises for upper body development as well as the test for a powerlifter's upper body strength. The bodybuilder may wish to really stretch his pectoral and deltoid muscles to give them more of a peak, but as he does his bench presses he must stop as the bar makes contact with his chest, stopping the range of motion there.
When the bodybuilder uses dumbells there isn't the problem of the bar restricting his range of motion therefore he can go well below chest level thus improving his overall physique.
A powerlifter may have the problem with the initial push of the bar off of his chest in the bench press this being called his "sticking point" but after he gets the bar past this so-called "sticking point", he has little trouble getting the bar up. This problem would constitute the lifter to train with heavy dumbells being brought below this "sticking point" or chest level thus developing a low range of power thus improving his strength.
The Dumbell Position Rack overcomes the drawbacks of the Prior Art in a highly novel manner in that it will support a heavy dumbell as well as receive it after the exercise is completed and it will position the dumbell in a convenient liftable position to begin the exercise thus eliminating the use of training partners, the restrictions on the weight of the dumbell when training alone, the wasted energy picking the dumbell up as well as providing safety to the exerciser, floor and equipment as described in the aforementioned.
After experiencing the drawbacks of the Prior Art of heavy dumbell training myself and realizing the wide-spread use and importance of heavy dumbell training by bodybuilders, powerlifters, athletes and others, I set out to create something to overcome these drawbacks.